Love, Requited
by WheatleyAndrews
Summary: Marcus and Esca, who secretly admired each other on their northern travels, finally realize their love for each other and begin a new life, together, and search for new adventure.  Chapter Five is here!
1. Chapter One: Drunken Mistakes

**A/N: This takes place a week or two after the film. Slash, Esca/Marcus. Fair warning, a lot of this chapter is fluff. Anyway, enjoy! **_**Disclaimer:**_** Nope, I don't own these characters. I'm only borrowing them.**

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><p><em>Love, Requited<em>

_Chapter One: Drunken Mistakes_

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><p>Esca awoke from his sleep with a start. Rustling noises hit his ears, accompanied by shuffling footsteps, some metallic clangs and the distinctive chink of ceramic being hit. He lay on his side, and the noises came to him from behind his back.<p>

_There's someone in our room... _he thought, still in a groggy state of half-sleep, but strangely alert as well. Slowly, he opened his eyes, being careful not to move a single inch. The orange glow of torchlight covered the whitewashed walls of his and Marcus' bedroom. Esca could see through the window that outside all was still covered by dark of night.

_Robbers? If only I could see the intruder... if only I had eyes in the back of my head... _Esca gingerly slid his arm, the one he was sleeping on, up his mattress and beneath his pillow. He grasped the knife there, the knife he kept by him at all times for safety. Without making a single sound, save for only the absolute quietest noise of a knife being unsheathed, he pulled the blade out of its sleeve and gripped its bone handle tightly.

Then, like lightning, he jumped from underneath his sheets and quite suddenly stood on two feet, teeth bared and limbs spread into a fighting stance; a true Brigante warrior's pose. His greyish-blue eyes frantically searched the room for the intruder, but found none.

A few yards across the floor from him, Marcus stood, holding an armful of tunics. Esca's arms dropped and his legs shifted back into a normal stance. "Marcus, what are you doing at this hour of the night?" Esca edged around Marcus' bed and stared down at the Roman's feet. "No, Marcus. No!" There lay a large, open drawstring sack which was clear Marcus was filling with his things. Both men moved toward it, but Esca grabbed it first, and pulled it away, throwing it onto his bed behind him. Out poured several knives in different sizes, a rather large skin of wine, several tunics and other items of clothing and Marcus' Centurion chestplate. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"I'd certainly like to ask the same of you," Marcus said, his face twisting into an angry shape. He shifted his weight from side to side, as if preparing to fight. But then he stopped, and his mouth returned to its normal, straight, pensive shape. He sighed and sat down on his own bed, which groaned under him. Esca sat down beside, and saying nothing, stared deep into Marcus' eyes.

"Tell me what's wrong," Esca said softly, although his expression remained as firm and stoic as ever.

Marcus let out a long, heavy breath and sighed, bending forward, resting his elbows on his knees and pressing his hands into his face. A twisted, almost silent mumble escaped his lips, "Dun - won be heer - nimore."

Esca wrapped a hand around Marcus' neck and edged closer. He took hold of Marcus' wrist and pulled the hand away. "Come on, mumbling it's not worth anything. Say it out loud."

"I don't want to be here anymore," Marcus said, sitting up rigidly. "I want to leave and escape this stupid rotting hellhole - this stupid villa - this stupid country! I want to get out!" His voice raised on the last words, and he even growled slightly. Marcus stood up, and his face twisted back into that angry shape. Now he was much louder. "How can I face anyone here? I've risked my life countless times for Rome and - and my father - and..." his eyes closed tight, "_you_ - and my honor has gone straight back down into the gutters!"

Now Esca stood too, his face a few inches from Marcus' and still unwavering. "What does your honor matter anymore? Is this about get getting discharged again? Because if it is-"

Marcus shook his head angrily. Thankfully, he spoke softer; soon enough he might have been loud enough to wake his uncle. He glared at Esca. "Esca, to a Roman, honor is everything."

Esca edged closer to Marcus, close enough he could feel Marcus' breath, and its slightest aroma of wine. "What about being a human? You seemed pretty damn ready to leave without me," Esca whispered fiercely, his face twisting angrily as Marcus' had, "Some human you are, Marcus, casting aside your closest and most loyal friend for some immaterial concept."

Marcus came somehow closer and whispered angrily as well. "Esca, you don't understa-"

Esca cut him off, "Oh! I don't understand, do I? I traveled with you for weeks, through dangerous terrain and hostile territory, risking life and limb to save some Roman I shouldn't have cared about, on his fantastical quest that nearly got him killed straightaway, only because I didn't wish to see you die horribly at the hands of elements or enemies. And you wouldn't call that honorable?" Esca closed his eyes and became calm again. "Marcus, like I said, your honor doesn't matter. Being discharged from the army again doesn't make you dishonorable. And even if it did, how d'you think running away would help?"

Marcus calmed too, his angry expression lightening, but also blushing slightly from the truth of Esca's words. "I threw myself into the hands of death for those fools, to recover the Eagle. And they reformed my father's legion, made me the head!" Both men sat back down on the bed. "And _then_ they have the nerve to discharge me again over my stupid leg!"

"Even they told you it was another _honorable_ discharge, Marcus." Esca's arm slipped back around Marcus' shoulders. "And don't count them ungrateful for returning the Eagle. A healthy pension for the rest of your life-"

Marcus turned his head to Esca and sighed. "But if I'm not destined to be a soldier, what else is there for me?"

"Anything, Marcus," Esca's face screwed up, "or nothing, of course, considering you're being paid for _for the rest of your life_." He leaned forward, inches from Marcus' face again, smiling. "And you listen here. Don't you ever," he poked Marcus hard in the chest, "try and leave me again. I gave up everything for you and I've made my commitment; I'm sticking with you like your skin sticks to your body."

Marcus chuckled and edged closer to the Briton's face, whispering, "Alright, Esca."

"Promise me you'll do the same," Esca whispered back.

"I solemnly swear to you, Esca, that I will always stay by your side if you stay by mine."

"And I swear by the blood that flows in my veins that I will, Marcus." Somehow, their faces were even closer than before, and Esca could again smell the wine on Marcus' breath, feel the warmth as it spread across his cheek. Marcus stared deeply into Esca's cold, steely blue eyes as Esca stared back into his warm, full brown ones. Something, like a magnetic force, held them there for what felt like days.

And then it happened.

Marcus edged closer still, and Esca surged forth, seeing permission in the Roman's eyes, and their lips met, sending lightning through their cheeks as their faces grew hot. How had they not done this yet? It felt so good, so _natural_, and they had only been kissing for a second.

Esca felt a tongue trace along the line between his lips, Marcus now asking for his permission. He immediately opened his mouth and felt the wine-kissed tongue intrude it, searching through his every crack and crevice, wanting to taste every inch. Esca battled back with his own tongue, and ran it along Marcus' smooth, perfect teeth. It was nothing short of euphoric for both.

In secret, they both wanted, even needed this contact for as long as their friendship had lasted, but neither told the other for fear of rejection. But now the walls were torn down and the rules thrown away as both men's needs were finally expressed. A few weeks ago, this may have gone faster than either of them would have liked, but now it couldn't come fast enough.

Shifting his weight, Esca pushed Marcus down onto the bed, and Marcus let out a tiny groan as Esca ran his hands through his dark locks. Marcus' hands slipped under Esca's tunic and felt the rippling muscles and scars of his back, making Esca groan in turn.

Esca sat up, and straddled Marcus' chest. Marcus whined feebly at having the kiss broken. Esca stared down at him with the largest, stupidest grin smothering his flushed face. "_Mo ghaol_, you have no idea how long I've wanted to do that."

"Then whyever did you stop?" Marcus was also blushed beyond belief, his dark eyes like a sad puppy's as they begged Esca silently for more.

"Because," Esca whispered, leaning down, "if this is going to happen, if this is going to be a thing, we're going way too fast. We have to leave some borders uncrossed for the future."

Esca laid on the bed next to Marcus, their bodies touching. Marcus turned his head to Esca and smiled as wide as he could. "But all I want is you, _mi flor_. I've finally realized it." Marcus fell silent for a second. "To hell with borders!"

Esca climbed back on top of him. "Yeah, you're right." Their lips met again.

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><p>Esca woke suddenly again. Birdsong came streaming in through the windows along with the yellow light of sunrise. Knocks came from the door a few yards across from his feet as he lay on his side.<p>

"Master Marcus? Master Esca?" A voice came from behind the door.

Esca, still groggy and with his eyes still closed, said, "Who is it?" His voice was a hoarse croak, his state of half-sleep showing.

"It is Stephanos, sir. Master Aquila would like you to know that breakfast is prepared, if you are ready to eat."

Esca paused for a moment. "We'll be down in a couple minutes, Stephanos," Esca said. The slave's shuffling footsteps became softer as he walked away, until the only sounds in the room were the songs of birds and Marcus' soft breathing, as he lay, still asleep.

Esca opened his eyes and felt suddenly confused. This wasn't his bed. No, he was on the other side of the room, because he wasn't next to the window that he always woke up by, with the fig tree outside with the wrens nesting in it.

Then Esca felt the warmth of an arm wrapped around his middle, and it all came back to him. He and Marcus had spent the night necking, and simply fell asleep here in Marcus' bed, exhausted but filled to overflowing with joy, as their respective insatiable but secret admirations for each other were finally expressed and their fantasies fulfilled. To be brutally honest, despite their motto of 'to hell with borders', the two hadn't made it very far last night, but neither cared. They would take it at their own pace, and when the time for newer things came, that's when they would happen.

Surely, though, they'd made it far enough. Both of them had never had a concrete relationship before, but tongue-kissing straightaway had to be a sign of a very good and stable connection.

Esca felt warm and fuzzy as his memories of last night replayed in his head. He listened close to Marcus' breathing. It felt like a dream. Weeks and months he had waited to do this, and every step of the way he was extremely careful, dreading rejection. But now, his greatest wish had come true. Marcus must feel as he did.

But then the memories rolled back to the scent of wine on Marcus' breath. Esca froze, and the warmth and fuzziness seemed to drain away, replaced with a cold, stony insecurity. That smell... it smelled and tasted good last night... but only because he tasted it in Marcus' mouth. He hadn't even thought about what it could mean.

Was Marcus just drunk? Sure, he seemed to have less inhibitions than usual... _No_, Esca thought, trying to shoo away that realization, _That definitely meant something. It was real and it was right._

But the cold stoniness remained firm in his heart. There was only one way to know.

With caution, and with Marcus' hand still wrapped around his middle, Esca slowly turned over and faced the Roman. The cold in his heart began to melt as he saw Marcus' face, the face of the man he had unrequitedly loved for what felt like years. He was beautiful as he slept, his chest slowly rising and falling and his tanned cheeks radiating a beautiful warm glow in the morning's yellow light.

Esca raised his free hand to Marcus' cheek and caressed it slowly. _This has got to be real_...

Marcus' eyes fluttered open and he smiled. "Good morning, Esca."

Esca's heart melted completely through and the warm fuzziness filled it again. "Good morning, Marcus," Esca said, stammering for words, shocked but happy at the same time. "Last night..."

"...was the best night of my life," Marcus said, finishing his sentence. Esca couldn't help but smile. It _was_ real.

Marcus chuckled slightly as he saw Esca blush."What else did you expect me to say?" Esca didn't answer. "Did you think it was some drunken mistake?"

Esca shrank a bit and blushed deeper. "No... of course not, Marcus. That was no mistake. It meant everything to me and... I'm glad it happened."

Marcus smiled. "_Mi flor..._ I've waited so long for that to happen... ever since I first saw you in that arena." Marcus stared deeply into the cool blue of his lover's eyes and moved closer. "I want every night to be like that."

Esca leaned in as well. "Without you trying to run away in the dead of night? I think I'd like that." He moved in and their lips touched again, quickly but lovingly. "But come on, breakfast is ready and if we stay here any longer Stephanos might think we've dropped off the face of the Earth." Esca sat up and glanced at his own bed, still covered in Marcus' possessions that had spilled out his sack last night.

Marcus stood up and stared at Esca, who in turn was still staring at his bed. Marcus quickly went and gathered up all the things on the bed. "_That_," he said, nodding his head as he began to push the things back into his chest on the floor, "was the drunken mistake. Under my own judgement, free of wine, I'd never try to leave without you."

Esca stood up from the bed and smiled down to Marcus, offering his hand. Marcus grasped it, and they pushed open the door to head down for breakfast together.

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><p><strong>AN: That was the first makeout scene I've written that actually felt good to write and reads well (imho). Review please!**

_**Translations:**_** "mo ghaol" means "my love" in Gaelic. "mi flor" means "my flower" in Latin.**


	2. Chapter Two: Thirst for New Adventure

**A/N: More fluff. But a plot arc is starting soon! Historically-minded readers may notice that I referred to Esca's language as Gaelic, not Pictish as it would have been during that time. However, as Gaelic is what is used in the movie, and no living record of Pictish survives to this day, I'm using Gaelic instead. Credit to Sineala for help with Latin. **_**Disclaimer: **_**I don't own these characters. If I did, there would be much more making out and much more hot man lovins in the movie.**

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><p><em>Love, Requited<em>

_Chapter Two: Thirst for New Adventure_

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><p><em>Tlump tlump tlump tlump<em>...

The muffled sound of hooves sprinting through grass sounded down the hillside. The wind blew through the grasses as two men raced to the bottom.

The blond man, riding atop his white stallion, shouted as loud as he could in Gaelic, "_Níos tapúla, Tapaidh! Ní mór an bua againn!_" The blond man's hair blew wildly in the wind and his teeth were barred as he leaned close to Tapaidh, his steed. Tapaidh's hooves pounded the ground quickly and with much force as the hillside began to bottom out, leading into a grassy moor. Ahead lay a forest, its wall of trees advancing closer and closer with extreme speed.

The blond man whipped his head backwards. Only a couple yards behind him, another man with black hair and a mahogany stallion was gaining speed. The blond cried out, switching to Latin, "First one to the forest wins, remember?"

The black-haired man smiled and cried back, "Dearly!" He whipped the reins of his horse and a loud crack pounded through the air. "Faster, Audaculus!" The horse whinnied and its hooves pounded the ground twice as fast.

The two riders were neck-and-neck as the wall of forest slid over them. The sun in the sky had disappeared. They had entered the twilight world of the trees, where the sunbeams were dappled against the ground in yellows and greens. Both men slowed their horses to a near stop, clopping along slowly through the forest.

"I definitely won," the black-haired man said. "Good work, Audaculus!"

The blond smirked. "Marcus, the day you beat me at a horse race will be the day I die."

"Well, it seems you're quite well despite being dead, then, Esca," Marcus, said, chuckling. Both men slid from their horses, and led them to the creek they spotted ahead.

"It was a tie," Esca said, laughing as he tied Tapaidh's reins to a nearby tree. The white horse drank thirstily from the creek, as did Audaculus next to him.

"Oh!" Marcus twisted his face, feigning surprise. "Well, regardless, I know an easy way to get rid of you now, should I ever need it."

Esca wrapped his arms around Marcus' shoulders as they stood on the creek's edge, facing each other, held together again by that magnetic force. "And why would you want to be rid of me?" Esca said, pushing out his lower lip in fake sadness.

"I wouldn't."

"I'd hope not." Esca's lip still bulged out, and Marcus, as though by instinct, tilted his head forward and touched it with his own lips.

_It's like it's on fire_… Marcus thought, sucking along the warmth of Esca's lip. Suddenly he felt something hotter touch him. Esca's tongue prodded along his upper lip, and Marcus opened his mouth.

_I want to know what you really taste like_, Esca thought. But that was the last of his coherent thoughts for now. He searched through Marcus' mouth with fervor, and his face flooded with warmth as pure pleasure spread from his tongue and lips through his entire body.

Marcus exhaled, and Esca sucked the outgoing breath in. It tasted indescribably good, and no longer addled with wine. Instead, it was sweeter than any fruit but reserved and subtle at the same time. The same sweet breath passed between them several times before Esca pulled away, desperate for air. He usually loved the scent of the outdoors, but now it seemed disgusting compared to Marcus' sweetness.

"I love you," Marcus managed to whisper quickly before they fell back into the kiss again. Esca felt a shiver in his spine… he hadn't built up the courage to say the same yet. Briefly, guilt washed over him, making him wish he hadn't been so timid before. He _knew_ his feelings, and he _knew_ Marcus shared the same feelings with him, so why hadn't he found the words?

But then he felt Marcus' hands drifting through his soft locks and the guilt washed away again.

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><p>"When you were coming down the hill, you yelled something in Gaelic. What did it mean?" Marcus asked as he walked through the forest with Esca, walking together on the narrow, rocky bed between the forest proper and the creek.<p>

Esca screwed up his face in thought. "I don't quite remember… do you remember any specific words?"

"Well, I'm pretty sure you yelled 'Tapaidh' somewhere in there. So was it something with your horse?"

Esca's mind clicked into place. "Ah yes. _Níos tapúla, Tapaidh! Ní mór an bua againn!_" He looked up at Marcus. "It means 'Faster, Tapaidh! We must win!'"

Marcus chuckled. "Let's not forget who _actually_ won the race, Esca."

Esca playfully punched his shoulder. "It was a tie!"

But suddenly, Marcus' smile went from playful to inquisitive. "Do you think I could learn Gaelic?"

Esca cocked his head as he replied. "What use would it serve you?"

"Talking to you natively, number one. We could run away together, find a house in the countryside and you'd never have to be troubled by speaking Latin again. Like a lighter form of Roman life." He paused, and Esca looked intrigued. "Don't you ever get tired of Latin?" Marcus aked.

"I suppose, sometimes. However… no offense, but I've met some Romans who spoke Gaelic with a thick accent. Warriors, of course. I guess they wanted to try and intimidate us, like they knew everything about us. But honestly, they sounded extremely stupid. We took them prisoner, but then gave them back in a prisoner exchange out of pity. Trust me, best trade ever. Got some good men back." Esca paused and laughed to himself at the memory. "So unless you want me to laugh constantly while you speak, with my memory of them, I don't think learning Gaelic would be a good idea."

"Aw, come on, Esca. Who says I'd have a thick accent?"

"I'm _living proof _of the power of thick accents, Marcus."

"But you don't sound stupid."

"Then how do I sound?"

"Strange, exotic, but in a nice way. Eloquent. Brave and bold too," Marcus said, honestly. He stopped and held out his hand to Esca, who took it. "And truthfully… extremely sexy." Marcus made his cheesiest-possible romantic-seduction face, his teeth in a small, tight smile and his eyebrow raised. He knelt down to the ground and kissed Esca's hand.

Esca was deep red and laughing in fits. "_Bhfuil tú ró-greannmhar, mo ghaol_ - you are too much." He bent down and gave Marcus a chasté peck on the cheek. "Oh, I'm glad I have you."

"I wouldn't take anyone else. Come on, let's get back to Cavella before we miss dinner."

They turned back and set off down the creekbed to their horses, hand-in-hand, as the sun's light turned orange at the start of sunset. For several minutes, they walked through the forest, admiring nature, joking, enjoying each other's presence and revelling the warmth of each other's hands.

Esca opened his mouth, but his voice faltered. Marcus looked at him pryingly. Esca started again. "Did you mean what you said before? About moving to the countryside with me?"

Marcus nodded. "Would you like that?" They reached the horses, and Marcus began to untie Audaculus as Esca untied Tapaidh.

Esca climbed onto Tapaidh's back. "I would," he said, leaning close and kissing Marcus quickly on the lips. They began to trot out of the forest. "Back in my days as a Brigante I remember much talk about a land to the south and west, from which we got many visitors. Traders mostly. They said it was a land like ours, with big mountains and forests and trees and plains and rivers just like _Alba, mo bhaile_… er, Caledonia, my native land."

"I've heard of somewhere like that, to the west. It's called Cambria… the native name is similar… something like 'Kum-rih'… 'Kem-ree'…" Marcus tried his best imitations of the rough Brythonic name before giving up.

Esca couldn't help but chuckle, reminded of the Roman captives. "Cymru! _Rwy'n gallu siarad ychydig Cymraeg_; I speak a little of their tongue, picked it up from the traders." He faltered and his smile fell a bit. "Honestly, don't you think we're taking this a bit _too _fast? Just yesterday we had our first kiss and already we're talking about," 'eloping' was the word that almost escaped his lips, but he stopped himself, "running away together."

Marcus thought pensively for a moment, and they reached the forest's edge. "Do you think we are?" he asked.

Esca thought for a moment as well. "No."

"Then neither do I."

Esca breathed in deep. "I love you."

"I know," Marcus said casually, but caringly.

"I have for a long time."

"So have I."

Esca sighed. "I wish I could have said that to you a lot earlier. Months."

Marcus was quieter than before, his tone more serious, but still loving. "As do I."

"I want to spend the rest of my life with you."

Marcus turned his head to Esca, who was smiling. He stared deeply, again, into his steely eyes before speaking. "I wouldn't mind that at all."

And with a mutual, loving smile they set off across the darkening moor for Cavella.

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><p>Three men sat together at the round table, cross-legged and relaxing on the pillows that lay on the floor of the villa's dining room. Plates of fish, sausages, vegetables and greens sat in front of them. Unusually, Marcus' uncle hadn't invited any 'special guest' to dine with them. It was only he, Marcus and Esca eating in the torchlit dining room as the velvety blackness of night smothered the last orange rays of the sun.<p>

There wasn't any conversation. It was dull and awkward at these dinners when no guest was present, and even when a visitor was present it wasn't much fun, as the subject often turned to Esca's Brigantine background and stayed there for quite a while. It had taken a few weeks for Marcus to coax Esca to sit and eat with Romans besides himself, and even now more often than not Esca had stormed off by the end of dinner, scowling at each visitor's probing ways. When they were unaccompanied he usually stayed through until the end, but seldom spoke. He didn't like Marcus' uncle and was not afraid to show it, either.

Several minutes passed and the course had been finished. Stephanos took their plates away and filled them again with fruits and nuts.

"Uncle," Marcus asked, "you're well-connected… do you have any ins in, say, Cambria? Esca and I have been thinking about…" he paused, "a new adventure. And a place to stay. For ourselves." Esca looked surprised for a moment at the sudden conversation, the use of his name lulling him out of his spaciness, but then quickly smiled slyly at Marcus as he chewed the last of a fig. He then returned to his stony scowl as he sat up on the pillows.

Marcus clinched suddenly. Would his uncle be offended? Would he think they were rejecting his hospitality? Uncle opened and closed his mouth several times, like fish out of water. Finally, he spoke. "Well, where are you thinking about? There are lots of new towns being built, many villas needing people to live in them. You've got tons of choice."

Marcus glanced to Esca and then back to his uncle. "We were talking after our horse race, and Esca mentioned Cambria."

"Ahh…" Uncle smiled. "Cambria. Yes, I've been there a few times. Quite full of mountains and wilderness, but we're taming it as best we can. I suppose it'll be nice to you, m'boy," Uncle said, jabbing his finger in the Brtion's direction. Esca flinched at being called 'm'boy' and scowled a bit harder.

"Esca said he can speak the language too," Marcus turned to Esca, eyes expectant. Esca's expression seemed to say _Kill me_ even more than was usual at dinner.

Rolling his eyes and sighing, Esca spoke. "_Ydy. Rwy'n gallu siarad rhywfaint o Gymraeg. Dylai fod… yn ddigon i gyfathrebu â'r brodorion._" He smiled when he saw Marcus' uncle's puzzled look. It was clear that he understood none of what was just said.

"But that's just perfect then," Uncle said, is eyes getting wider, taking a sip of wine. "If you two go there, you're still deep in Roman territory, so you should be safe from raids. Most of the Cambrian tribes have decided to cooperate with us, because as it turns out they're faring better under Roman rule, so that shouldn't be a problem. And if it is you'll have an interpreter to negotiate through, eh?"

Marcus was smiling wide. _This is starting to sound too good to be true. _"Are there any towns there?"

"Well, my good friend Opulentus has a son… I forget his name, of course, but he's one of the people that plans out these new towns and builds and sells some of the villas for the first residents. His newest one is somewhat close by, in the southern part Cambria, on the southern coast and on the foothills of the first set of mountains. Unfortunately some of the villas are a bit expensive, even to someone from a family of old money, like you, Marcus." Marcus looked crestfallen. "However, I can put in a good word. I'll see if I can get them to negotiate a lower price for you."

Marcus smiled again. "A thousand thankyous, Uncle. What is this town called?"

"Lucus Argentus," Uncle said, "Meaning silver groves, of course. There's a forest right by and it's filled with silver birches, appropriately enough. It's two leagues or so from the beach and a bit further to the mountains to the north. Opulentus says it's a beauty." He smiled wide. "When do you boys plan on leaving?"

Marcus fell silent and glanced at Esca again. Truthfully, they wanted to leave as soon as possible, perhaps even the next morning.

Uncle laughed, "Don't be modest, now. It's no secret that sooner is better for you two. You're craving adventure, having just come back from your travels for the Eagle. I'll send word to Opulentus right away." He stood up and began to leave the dining room to write his note, but halfway through the arch he turned back. "You two have been acting funny lately and… it's time I asked. Sleeping in, when you're normally both up before daybreak, and you're a lot more smiley than usual, too. And now plans of adventure in Cambria. Did it finally happen?"

Marcus looked both shocked and confused, and stammered. "Wha- What do y- you mean?"

Uncle laughed. "Oh, I've seen the way you two looked at each other, stealing glances while the other looked away. There was always something there. And now it's more blatant than ever before. So I ask, are you two together?"

Silence filled the room.

"You know…" Uncle turned around in the archway, his back to Esca and Marcus, and he wrapped his arms around himself, so it looked as if some hidden figure was hugging him. He made loud smooching noises. It was clear what he meant. He made himself laugh even louder than before, and turned back around again.

Marcus finally stood up and started, "Uncle…" Esca looked up at him furtively, and Marcus offered his hand. Esca grasped it and pulled himself up, and stood next to the Roman. Marcus spoke. "Yes. I love Esca. He is my world and I want to spend the rest of my days by his side."

Esca felt tingles in his spine as the warm fuzziness filled his chest. He gave a loving smile, but quickly returned to his stony gaze.

Marcus' uncle clapped his hands and smiled. "It's about time, you two! But you don't need the theatrics." Marcus smiled feebly at that comment, and Esca twitched in sudden anger. The pair shuffled into the kitchen, following Marcus' uncle. He bent down over the table in the kitchen and quickly scribbled a note. "Stephanos?" The slave appeared from behind another archway. "I need you to take this to Opulentus. Be back as soon as possible." He rolled up the note and handed it to the slave, who curtly nodded, grabbed a torch, and set off through the door.

"And now, it looks like it's time for bed." Marcus' uncle started to walk off to his own bedroom, but continued to speak loudly as he went. "Two young lovers, alone together in the same room, with a door that locks, in an isolated wing with the night _so_ young." He fell silent as he rounded the corner to his bedroom.

Marcus froze, his face a deep pink. Esca glanced at him, his face blushed the same way and his teeth chattering with rage. A muffled shout came through the walls, "I'm jealous!" Hearty laughter followed it.

Esca cursed under his breath and Marcus placed a hand on his shoulder. "I know. He's an obnoxious idiot."

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><p>"There's no way he really… I'm going to fucking <em>kill<em> that bastard!" Esca's his anger burned bright as the sun. He closed the door to their bedroom with a slam. _A door that locks… _he thought. He glanced back to Marcus, who sat on the edge of his bed. _No,_ Esca thought, _It's __**our**__ bed now._ He made sure Marcus wasn't looking and silently slipped the bolt into place.

Marcus looked at Esca as the Briton sat down next to him, his face still red and twisted, but to a lesser degree. Marcus was still blushed. "You don't think he actually expects us to-"

"No, Marcus, I think _he_ thinks we already _have_." They awkwardly looked at each other for several still seconds.

"It's ridiculous," Marcus said. "We never would, not with that old pervert in the same house."

_It's an isolated wing_, Esca thought. "And with the risk of him finding out..."

"Besides, I'm sure his right hand is keeping him good company," Marcus said. He winced, playfully. "_Oooh_, bad images."

_My right hand is too, for me. Maybe it's time to stop that_, Esca thought, his palms starting to sweat. "And neither of us even _have_ done that before…"

"Of course," Marcus paused. "But I know how to do that."

_Show me, then._

"You learn a lot of things in the Roman army. I never got involved in that, though, because there's heavy penalties for it if you're found out."

_At least we're on equal ground as virgins._ Esca cleared his throat. His face was its normal pale color, but his mind was swimming and he felt the warm fuzziness slowly spread throughout him. "We wouldn't even… not at that point… I think…" His voice broke and fell away. The two men stared at each other deeply again, Esca's blue eyes filled with need. Marcus' soft, brown ones seemed to read Esca's like a book.

"We're just making excuses." Marcus lay down, chuckling. "Whatever happened to 'to hell with borders'?"

Esca laid back next to Marcus, and breathed deeply and exhaled several times, his chest even heavier. "Marcus, if you're willing to…" He exhaled again, and the next words were much quieter, "I think I'm ready to- _to have sex with you_."

Marcus chuckled. "No, Esca, I don't think I'm ready for that yet. I honestly don't think either of us are. We need to slow down." He gathered his thoughts and then spoke again. "I like where we are right now. And I'd like to do that with you, too, but I want to let our relationship grow and take shape a bit more. We're finally together and I want to do this right. Step-by-step."

Esca felt strange at Marcus' words. The warm fuzziness was still inside him, but his palms began to dry and his mind became clearer. The sense of Marcus' words trickled down through his body like some tonic, bringing back his calm demeanor. He chuckled. "You're right. I was…" he trailed off, unable to think of something to say that _wouldn't_ make him look like an uptight bastard. "It's funny, Mr. Step-by-step, that your next step is to run away with me." He smiled cheekily.

Marcus wrapped an arm around him as he chortled at Esca's joke. He smiled but his nextwords were firm. "Are you okay? Seriously. Like I said, I don't want to mess this up."

"I'm alright. And I don't mind taking an IOU for now."

"Good," Marcus said. Esca pulled away slightly, but Marcus felt the motion and resisted it. He pulled the Briton closer, so their noses nearly touched. "Hey... just because we're abstaining for now doesn't mean we can't make out."

Esca's wide, loving smile filled his face. "I know." He moved slowly forward and Marcus matched his movement, and their lips exploded with the lightning of love as they brushed together for the first of many times that night.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Nope. There is no knife strong enough to cut through all this sexual tension and not break. Sorry for making Esca look like a horny little bitch! Review please! Also… do I smell an actual plot in the future? Cambria? Hmmm… ?**

_**Translations: **_**(NOTE: these come from a translator so I have no idea of their accuracy. If you spot any problems please tell me!) "Tapaidh" means speedy. "Audaculus" means bold. "Ydy. Rwy'n gallu siarad rhywfaint o Gymraeg. Dylai fod… yn ddigon i gyfathrebu â'r brodorion" means "Yes. I can speak some Welsh. It should be enough to communicate with the natives". "Opulentus" means rich.**


	3. Chapter Three: The Journey

**A/N: The Esca/Marcus is toned down in this chapter a bit. It's still plenty fluffy, but with a little splash of adventure mixed in. Hope you like! This one's a bit longer than the others due to its transitiony-ness.**

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><p><em>Love, Requited<em>

_Chapter Three: The Journey_

* * *

><p>Marcus woke slowly, his brain lazily pulling him out of the sweet, warm stupor of sleep. He was harshly greeted by the sound of Stephanos knocking at the bedroom door.<p>

"Masters Marcus and Esca?" The slave's voice was muffled behind the door. Marcus opened his mouth to speak, but with his body not fully escaped from sleep nothing but a dry croak escaped his lips. Apparently, that was greeting enough for Stephanos. "Breakfast is prepared, and in addition a letter from Opulentus has arrived."

That immediately pulled Marcus from his groggy state. _News already?_ he thought. "We'll be down in a moment. Could you slip the letter under the door?" he asked, his voice back in full. Marcus didn't want the slave coming into the room (although he didn't know that Esca had locked the door, which would make it rather difficult for him).

Somehow, despite deciding against making love, he and Esca had managed to lose all of their clothes between last night's caresses. Their tunics, belts, braccae and undergarments lay scattered across the floor, and currently they lay cuddling on Marcus' bed, their naked bodies set flush against each other.

Stephanos spoke, "It's not mine to give, sir. Master Aquila intends to inform you personally over breakfast."

_Esca's not going to be happy about that,_ Marcus thought. He had fleeting visions of Esca's smiling, ecstatic face as he read off the good news, their dreams of running away together enabled. But _that_ wouldn't happen at a table with Uncle. "Tell Uncle we'll be right down," he said, a note of frustration in his voice. The slave shuffled away.

_Why can't we just read good news ourselves? It's our future, our dream, _he thought. Then his mind suddenly clenched. _Stephanos only said 'a letter'... he didn't mention good or bad news._ A wave of stinging cold washed over him. _Surely he would have mentioned good news if there was any..._

But then Marcus felt Esca shift against him, the smaller man's warm body pressing into his. Like sitting near a bonfire, the heat from Esca's furnace of a body slowly washed over him, making the stinging cold disappear.

He smiled. _As long as I have Esca, things will be alright no matter what may come._ Marcus felt Esca's hand move down across the sheets where his hand was caressing the Briton's defined stomach. They clasped together.

"Good morning, Marcus," Esca said, yawning. He turned over under the blanket and smiled dreamily at his lover. "It sounds like we should head down for breakfast. I want to hear this good news."

_Esca thinks it's good news..._ Marcus thought. "You heard Stephanos?"

"Yes," Esca said, smirking, "I'm quite good at feigning sleep."

"I could tell you were faking anyway," Marcus lied, trying to make a joke, "because I didn't hear your throaty snoring."

Esca blushed. "I don't snore that badly, do I?"

Marcus chuckled. "No, and I don't mind it anyway. I'm used to it and it's good white noise."

Esca tugged on Marcus' hand as he sat up on the bed. "Come on. I'm hungry."

"You and your stomach," Marcus mumbled, idly remembering Esca hungrily biting into a raw rat during their previous adventures. He wasn't very hungry and that image made him slightly queasy.

Esca threw away the blankets and stood naked in the morning light to gather his clothes. His pale body gave off a warm glow in the morning's sunlight. Marcus couldn't help but stare for a few seconds, mouth unhinged and a bit bewildered at Esca's openness. _We just slept naked together,_ he thought, _Seeing him naked isn't that much of a leap, you clumsy romantic._ Marcus' eyes wandered across his lover's body, from the vivid blue tattoos covering his arm to his speckled shoulders and thin-but-built chest.

"You like what you see, I suppose?" Esca's smile was full of pride. Marcus raced for a lower glimpse before Esca pulled up his braccae and tied them.

_Tease._

* * *

><p>Marcus, Esca and Uncle Aquila sat together in the dining room, laying lazily on the long couches surrounding the low table and pecking at the fruits and cheeses that Stephanos had laid out in front of them. Esca wore his normal cold glare, like at all other Roman meals, but today it was a bit lighter, and he and Marcus held hands while eating. Esca still refused to look at Uncle, however, for good reason. Marcus clinched slightly at the memory of last night's teases and Esca's burning anger.<p>

Marcus finally broke the quiet after pensive thought. "So, Uncle, Stephanos tells me you've received correspondence from Opulentus?" Esca's expression lightened a bit more.

"Ah, yes... I have it right here." He pulled a roll of parchment from underneath the table and unraveled it. "Considering it was both your business and mine I've refrained from reading it until now, with us all present," Uncle said considerately, clashing with last night's rude remarks.

_My uncle... thoughtful for once, _Marcus thought. Esca seemed to be thinking the same thing. _Is that a smile pulling on the edges of his lips?_ Indeed, Esca's mouth was now in the slightest possible crescent shape.

"Hmmm..." Uncle smiled as he read silently, and then relinquished the letter to Esca and Marcus. "I gamble a lot, as you both know, and it seems Opulentus has a debt owed to me that he never repaid, and that I forgot about."

Esca's steely eyes and Marcus' brown ones both lit up and smiles spread across their faces. "Do you mean-" Marcus started, before being cut off. A feeling like adrenaline was spreading through him at his sudden excitement.

"A debt about the price of a villa in Lucus Argentus, once one factors in the discount for friendship." Uncle folded his arms. Marcus stammered, and Uncle spoke in his stead. "Say no more. It is my gift to the happy couple, and I shall hear no protest." He laughed softly. "I am truly happy for the both of you and this is how I intend to show it."

Still, Marcus and Esca were speechless, passing cursory glances to one another, but Uncle continued.

"Lucus Argentus is about a two or three-day journey from here. If I were you I'd start packing!"

Finally Marcus found words. "Uncle, I can't be thankful enough."

Esca broke his silence as well, forgetting his usual rule of not speaking at a Roman table. He was beaming. "Myself as well. Truly."

"The way you two will thank me is by never leaving each other's side." Uncle contemplated his next few words, then spoke again. "True love is not to be wasted."

The powerful wave of adrenaline was joined by a heavy warmth in Marcus' chest. "I would never leave him."

Esca had decided he'd broken his silence enough for today, and spoke not, but his expression quite clearly said _Neither would I_.

Uncle stood up. "Good. Now go, you two, and prepare for your journey! I'll send confirmation to Opulentus. In fact, I think I'll tell him myself. I haven't seen that old dog in quite a while, and I was simply too tired to trek across town last night." Uncle smiled fondly at the thought of his friend. "I'll have Stephanos prepare your horses while you pack your things." He grinned widely again and made a shooing gesture to Marcus and Esca.

They disappeared into the hallway and half-walked, half-ran to their bedroom. Both men were red in the face with joy, and let out shocked, but grateful, guffaws.

"I can't believe this is finally happening," Esca said, taking in a breath sharply as he pushed open the bedroom door. "I love you so much." His wide, loving smile smothered his face as Marcus hugged him.

"And now we can spend the rest of our lives together, independently." Marcus could barely breathe, a numbing, warm tingle coming over all of his body parts as he embraced the man he loved. "But however, we must get ready to go." Slowly they fell apart, and still overcome by loving joy, they began to pack clothing and supplies for their journey into Cambria, to Lucus Argentus, their new home.

* * *

><p><em>Clothing, tent, food, wine, money... <em>In his head, Marcus ran over what he packed in his bags while he and Esca dragged all their belongings outside to the villa's courtyard. Marcus squinted in the bright light of midday, and then saw before him Audaculus and Tapaidh lashed together, pulling a sizable wooden cart.

"Part of your Uncle's gift," Stephanos proclaimed, seeing Marcus' gaze to the cart as Esca began to load his things into it. The slave stood by them, seemingly out of nowhere.

Though he was not sure from where, Marcus felt a sudden pang of loss cross his chest. _Last time seeing old Stephanos_. Even though the slave was crotchety and occasionally a bother, Marcus had grown attached to him in his weeks at Uncle's villa. "Stephanos, I'll miss you."

Stephanos looked shocked for a moment, then simply smiled. "I was proud to serve you, Master Marcus."

Marcus chuckled. "There's no need for 'Master' anymore, Stephanos. I'm not your master any longer. I wish for you to see and greet me as a friend."

"Any friend or relative of Master Aquila's is a master of mine, sir. But I am happy that you see me as your friend." Stephanos seemed a bit out of character, a sort of sorrowful cheeriness coming over him. Marcus felt the tiniest bit crestfallen at Stephanos' response, but smiled all the same. _He's Uncle's man through and through._

Esca walked over, having finished loading his things, and offered his hand to Stephanos, who took it and shook curtly. He had always envied Esca to a degree, what with his newfound freedom, but served him just as unswaveringly.

Esca tugged on Marcus' hand and helped him pull his bags to the cart, and together they loaded the last of their luggage, lashing it down. Just as Marcus slid atop Audaculus, Esca handed him his centurion's gladius, its long blade sheathed and attached to a shoulder sash. "You never know if we'll run into thieves or robbers." Marcus nodded and slipped the sword on as he watched Esca slide his quiver over his own shoulder, and strapped his bow to Tapaidh's side. He climbed atop the horse and moved to crack the reins, when a voice came from behind them.

"Marcus! Esca!" They turned, and Marcus turned to see Uncle standing next to an enormously old and fat man, whose belly rivaled that of the most volumptuous pregnant women. "You're not going to leave without a final goodbye!" He was smiling, and then gestured to the fat man. "This is Opulentus! I thought he'd like to meet his new lodgers! Opulentus, this is Marcus," he pointed to Marcus, "and this is Esca," he pointed to Esca.

Opulentus smiled and waved. "I think you'll find Lucus Argentus to be well suited to your needs! It is an honor to meet you both." He bowed, then turned and whispered to Uncle, his large belly shaking softly as he turned his sandaled feet.

They jabbered away in quick Latin, but Marcus couldn't hear any of their mumbles. Opulentus was giggling, and suddenly he heard Uncle's voice cut through. "-yes, they are together; been ogling eachother for months... hardly hid it...-" Marcus blushed and turned to Esca, who apparently had heard the same thing. His face was twisted into that unfortunately familiar, angry shape, and he cracked Tapaidh's reins.

The two horses began to trot slowly, and the crack shook Uncle and Opulentus from their whispered musings. "Wait!" Uncle yelled, running behind them. "You don't even know how to get there, you fools!" He held out a roll of parchment as he reached them. He handed the parchment to Marcus, who began to blush deeper as he realized that they indeed had had no directions. "Those will get you there in three days, tops."

Marcus turned to Uncle and smiled feebly. "So this is goodbye... I can't thank you enough for all you've done for us."

Uncle's gaze lowered as he chuckled. "As I said, true love is something I hate to see wasted. Thank me by never leaving eachother's sides." He held out his hand to Marcus, then to Esca, and they both shook tightly. "But don't forget to have fun! Now be off! And write often!"

Marcus and Esca were smiling as Esca cracked the reins again, and Audaculus and Tapaidh carried them through the gates of Calleva and onto the road beyond, the rolling, green glens of Britannia waiting before them, basking under the ever-feebler rays of the late autumn sun.

* * *

><p>"You are <em>the worst navigator <em>in all of Rome," Esca muttered, frustratedly. They had been on the road for nearly seven hours, and now trot through a thick forest, its age-old trees towering high above them, their leaves in various stages of decay, from green to yellow, to red to brown. The sun was beginning to slide out of the sky, ever earlier, casting orange rays to the two men, who passed the same thicket of leaveless oaks for the third time.

"Esca, it's not my fault they decided to put a loop in the road," Marcus said, retaining his composure. _Our dreams are coming true, Esca,_ he thought. _Now's no time to fight._ It had been a while since they had seen any signs of human activity, aside from the forest road, having passed through a small village for dinner an hour ago. Marcus had offered to stay the night in the inn where they ate, but Esca said he wanted to press on, and stated his preference, as a Brigante, to sleeping outside in a tent. "Besides, Esca, I gave you the directions as soon as we left the town."

"But _you_ pulled the horses onto the wrong path _twice_, despite what _I_ said." They came to a fork in the road, and Esca haughtily tugged the reins to the right. "_Now_ we're going the right way, Marcus." His voice lightened a bit. "I'm sorry for bursting out."

"It's understandable," Marcus said, though he was still a little hurt. "We need to stop and rest soon; we're both weary," he said, as the feeble sunbeams became red, turning the sky crimson and purple as night began to descend on them.

Marcus saw the edge of the forest ahead, and a wave of relief washed over him, mixed in with a splash of shame. _This is the right path... Good thing I had Esca with me. I might have disappeared from the face of the Earth. _He paused in thought and glanced to Esca, whose smile was back and expression had lifted fully. _I'd never go anywhere without him_. Marcus edged his hand from Audaculus' neck and placed it on Esca's. "If it hadn't been for my getting us lost, this would have been a very romantic place." Esca laughed as he intertwined their hands.

Marcus felt that same numbing tingle and began to lean toward Esca, and their soft lips met. For a moment, encased in the mesmerizing kiss, they forgot about the forest and road and basked in eachother.

But then a scream shot through the air and rocked them back into reality. They whipped apart, eyes searching for the source of the violation. "There!" Esca hollered, and Marcus followed the point of his finger to a spot about a quarter mile further ahead. A small horsedrawn cart, like theirs, except with only one horse, was stopped in the road. Marcus saw three figures, what looked like two men and a woman. One of the men was holding something long and glinting at the female figure.

_A sword,_ the realization shot through his mind.

Before Esca realized what was going on, Marcus cracked Audaculus' reins and urged the horse faster, and soon they were sprinting up the road. Esca looked bewildered for a moment, but then saw the three figures ahead and understood. They came closer and closer, and Marcus could hear the swordbearing man's shouts. "Stand and deliver!" he said.

_Highwayman!_ Marcus thought, pulling the reins taught and jumping from Audaculus as he came to a halt. Esca jumped off too, and grabbed his bow from Tapaidh's side, loading it. Marcus drew his gladius and ran ahead, Esca not far behind. "Thief! Stand down in the name of Rome!" The highwayman backed away. "Leave these fair citizens to their business!"

The highwayman spoke, daringly. "And on whose authority do you command me?"

Marcus extended his gladius further, but Esca spoke, his bow taut. "Marcus Flavius Aquila stands before you," he said, "one of the few Romans to survive Caledonia, and the recoverer of the Eagle Standard of the Ninth Legion, _and_ former Commander of said Legion, reformed."

At Esca's words, the highwayman dropped his sword and ran to his horse a few feet offroad, a terrified look covering his once proud face. He cracked the horse's reins and shot off into the distance.

Esca lowered his bow and Marcus slid his gladius back into its sheath. He turned to the two figures by their cart. A woman and man stood before them, the woman with dark, curling hair, brown eyes, and olive skin, and the man with blond hair, green eyes and pale skin. The woman looked dumbfounded, a shocked expression covering her face. "Marcus Aquila?" Marcus' brow furrowed, confused, and the woman's shocked expression furthered. "All of Britannia knows your name! The man who brought back the Eagle!" Marcus smiled slightly.

"It's not safe to travel unarmed," Marcus said, turning to the man beside the woman. He picked up the highwayman's sword and handed it to him. "Keep it with you." The man's hair was blonde like Esca's, and he had the same high cheekbones and pointed chin, though his head was more squat. His eyes were a vivid, piercing green like the first grasses of spring. He looked scared.

Esca spoke, looking at the blond man as well. "What is your name, traveller?" Esca's accented Latin seemed to shake away some of the fear in his eyes.

"Janus Aquarius." Janus' words were accented like Esca's. "And this is my wife, Lucia, and our daughter, Aelia." For the first time, Marcus noticed the bundle of blankets in Lucia's arms, and indeed a small, delicate face poked out from their top.

_Something's not right, _Marcus thought. He was suspicious of this man. _I just can't place it._

"What is your name?" Janus asked, stepping forward a bit, staring at Esca, the man he resembled. He seemed to be searching for some long-gone memory.

"Esca MacCunoval, son to Cunoval of the Brigantes, and companion of Marcus Aquila." Marcus felt the warm tingle fleetingly. "Now I'm going to ask you again, sir," Esca said, changing to Gaelic, "_Cad is ainm duit?_"

_He's a Briton! _Marcus thought, recognizing the language.

Janus' eyes widened, and he spoke quickly in Gaelic. "_Táim Nechtan MacLorcan. Tá mé ó do fine, agus go bhfuil tú mo Prionsa._" Janus bowed deeply and then smiled cheekily.

"What's going on with Janus?" Marcus asked Esca.

"He's a Brigante, and his name's not Janus," Esca said excited. Esca threw open his arms and ran towards the blond man, nearly knocking him over with his hug. "_Nechtan! Tá sé dom! Esca!_"

"_A fhios agam!_"

Suddenly both men were laughing happily. When they finally fell apart both Esca and the other man were smiling.

Marcus was still confused, until the other man spoke. "I'm Nechtan, a very good, very _old_ friend of Esca's." The two men stood, arms over shoulders.

"Then why did you call yourself Janus?"

"I'm not exactly the type who brushes shoulders well with everyone. I've got to be careful where I tread." He paused. "I was sold into slavery just like Esca, but I tricked my master into giving me freedom. He's sent his men looking for me so we keep moving just to be safe. Janus Aquarius is my cover name."

Esca and Nechtan were still jabbering away in Gaelic, and several times Nechtan blushed or laughed, with the occasional interested glance to Marcus.

"I'm just as surprised as you, sir," Lucia said, and Marcus turned to her. Her dark black hair, olive skin and brown eyes were a clear indication. She was as Roman as they come. "I knew my husband was a Briton, but I didn't think we'd run into any old friends along the way." She too was smiling and chuckling. "They seem very glad to have remet, sir."

"What's with the 'sir'?" Marcus asked, slightly uncomfortable. "That's not needed. Just call me Marcus."

"I apologize, Marcus," she said, "It's just... meeting someone as famous as you, and having him save your life? It's not at all something I expected."

"Aww, come on now Lucia, don't blow his head up too big," Nechtan said, making Marcus blush slightly. Esca and Lucia laughed as they shook hands.

"It's my pleasure," Esca said. "Where are you headed?"

"Well," Lucia said, "we've decided to settle down. We can't keep running around the country with little Aelia. She needs a place to call home."

"So," Nechtan picked up, "we're going to one of the new towns in Cambria. Lucus Argentus."

Esca and Marcus both smiled, and glanced at eachother. "That's where we're going!" they said, in unison.

Nechtan's mouth dropped and he laughed. "You're kidding!"

Marcus and Esca just smiled. Esca piped up, "Come on. Why would I lie?" The sky was almost fully black now. "Come on, let's make camp. It's dark." Esca led the horses off the road and unpacked a tent. Marcus helped him set it up while Nechtan scurried away for firewood, and Lucia nursed the suddenly-crying baby Aelia.

A few minutes later, the fivesome had made a proper camp. Two tents stood close to eachother, a fire crackling in front of them, and the three horses grazed by moonlight, tied to a lonely tree. Nechtan and Lucia told them of their adventures and their forbidden love, as Lucia was the daughter of a high-class noble, and Nechtan her father's friend's slave. They told of their clever tricks to get Nechtan's master to set him free (although they did not divulge this secret fully), and then told of their romantic adventures through Britannia as they escaped together.

As it turns out, Nechtan was a distant marital relation of Esca's. Esca's father was Cunoval, King of the Brigantes, and Cunoval's uncle Drosten's second wife's brother had a son named Lorcan, who was Nechtan's father. Esca and Nechtan told endless tales of their adventures as children, and Marcus couldn't help but feel the tiniest bit jealous.

_Keep it together_, Marcus thought, _Nechtan's just a friend. _But he couldn't help the prickling jealously.

Nechtan spoke, "So, Marcus. Where does a goodlooking man like yourself stand with the ladies?" Marcus froze and glanced to Esca, whose expression was turning stony. "I know Esca here was never too good with girls." Esca feigned a smile and playfully punched Nechtan.

Marcus stuttered. "I don't get around much with women," he said plainly, and truthfully. Lucia and Nechtan giggled, and seemingly on cue, but most likely from seeing her mother laugh, Aelia joined in.

"Oh come now, Marcus. Famous Marcus Aquila isn't sharing his bed with anyone?" Nechtan pried.

_He seems more open with Romans than Esca_, Marcus thought, filing that notion away. His expression lightened. He glanced to Esca, silently asking for permission as he gazed into his storm-colored eyes. In a tiny motion, Esca nodded almost imperceptibly. Marcus eyes glinted and he spoke. "I didn't say I wasn't sharing my bed with anyone."

"Oooh," cooed Lucia, "Do we have someone who fancies the men here?"

Marcus felt a bit of pride fill him as he saw Esca grin. "Yes, in fact. One man in particular..." He shuffled over to where Esca sat next to Nechtan and sat as well. He took Esca's hand in his and leaned in, giving him a chasté kiss on the cheek. Marcus felt Esca's hand grab hold of his cheek and he pulled Marcus close, and Esca kissed him on the lips. The two men felt the lightning sensation shoot through them, and their mouths fell open as they kissed, tongues exploring each other's mouths as they seemingly forgot Nechtan, Lucia, Aelia and the campground.

Nechtan and Lucia's mouths were wide as the men fell away from eachother, and Lucia cat-called quickly, making Esca laugh. Nechtan patted Esca on the back. "So that finally explains it..."

"Nice choice," Lucia said. "You two make a good couple."

Marcus yawned and nodded, a warm heavy fuzziness filling his chest, warmer than the coals in the now-dying fire. "Thanks." Esca's hand held Marcus' a bit more firmly as he turned and stared lovingly again into Marcus' deep brown eyes, that same, familiar loving smile curved across his mouth. "I think it's time for bed," Marcus mused, his eyes not dropping their steady gaze into Esca's blue-grey eyes.

Nechtan chuckled. "Riiiiiight..." Nechtan winked slyly at Marcus as he stood up and offered Lucia his hand. She pulled herself up, gingerly cradling the now-sleeping Aelia, and they retired to their tent. "_Dea-oíche!_" Nechtan called in Gaelic from in the tent.

Esca stood and pulled Marcus to his feet with him, and pulled open the flap to their tent. They lay down on the blankets and furs Esca snuggled close into Marcus' body, and Marcus wrapped his hands around his lover's middle.

"You know," Marcus whispered, "Sometime _I'd_ like to be the one that gets held."

"No," Esca said, somehow nudging their bodies closer together, "You're too big. Besides, I like it like this."

"Why?"

"Because I feel safe in your arms." The hot feeling in Marcus' chest sagged down more, and his hands tingled with loving contentedness as they wrapped tighter on Esca's middle as sleep slowly called them away.

* * *

><p>The next morning passed remarkably fast, from eating a breakfast of dried fruits with Esca, Nechtan and Lucia and packing up camp to being on the road again. Lucia sat, holding tiny Aelia, behind Nechtan on his large, grey steed, pulling their cart as they rode behind Esca and Marcus, Tapaidh and Audaculus pulling their cart.<p>

Although they were in the company of friends, the ride was incredibly dull as they rode across rolling treeless hills, expanding as far as the eye can see. Neither highwaymen nor game nor even weather were there to provide distraction, as the sun had chosen to hide away behind a thick covering of overcast clouds, making the autumn day grey and shadowless. Marcus' bad leg ached in the high-pressure air.

Marcus was thankful as they finally come to a village to stop for a meal in the early afternoon, though the only eating establishment was a very shady inn, half of which was a veritable brothel. After several drunk men, subsequently intimidated by Esca's bow and Nechtan's sword, tried to woo Lucia, and an invasive prostitute did everything she tried to attract Marcus' attention, even nearly dancing in his lap, the fivesome left, disgusted, and continued into the forest.

"At least we ate," Marcus said, though he was still bitter about the prostitute.

The afternoon turned into much of the same, although another encounter with a highwayman added _some_ excitement. Marcus simply had to unsheathe his sword and state his name before the thief scampered off over the moor.

More hours passed, and the sky started to be tinged with red from the hidden sun behind the clouds. They reached the crest of a hill, looking down as the expanse of rolling green stopped at the edge of a forest half a mile ahead. Lucia suddenly cried out, "Mountains!" Indeed, in the far distance they could see a set of crested peaks, and the collective mood of the group started to lift.

"We must have made very good time," Esca said. "We should be in Lucus Argentus by this time tomorrow."

"Then again, it's _you_ who's navigating now," Marcus joked, and Esca chuckled. "We should make camp here," he added. They pulled off the road and Marcus started setting up tents with Lucia as Esca and Nechtan disappeared into the forest ahead on a hunt before Marcus could say a word. He had not hunted in weeks, and wanted to go, but the slow aching pain in his leg limited him.

Esca and Nechtan returned an hour later, a small boar spread over Esca's back. Nechtan cut it open and cleaned it deftly, his knife making extremely accurate cuts with much finesse. Marcus was impressed as he watched; he had hunted all his life as well, and was never able to clean any animal that precisely.

Esca was tending to the tiny fire in the firepit Marcus had built, and nursed it slowly into a respectable blaze as Nechtan finished cutting all the meat from the tiny boar.

"Dinner!" Nechtan said, impaling a slice of meat on a long stake he retrieved from his cart, and handed the remaining stakes to the others as they gathered around the firepit, and they lowered their meat over the fire.

"You haven't yet told us of your travels in _Alba_," Nechtan said, slowly rotating his meat. "Regail us."

So Marcus and Esca recounted to them the story of their adventure, from the arena, to the wall, to the Seal People, to finding and returning the Eagle standard of the Ninth Legion.

* * *

><p>"So, Marcus," Lucia asked, as she bit at the final pieces of her pork, "What's your business in Lucus Argentus? You never told us."<p>

Marcus was thoroughly chewing through a bit of overcooked meat, then swallowed. "Same as yours, I suppose. Esca and I are settling down."

"I thought Esca said you two had only been together for a week or so," Nechtan said.

_Even that's an overestimation_, Marcus thought.

Eska spoke. "Officially, yes, I suppose. But we've loved eachother for a lot longer than that and were simply overcome by the fear we might be rejected by one another. So it feels a lot longer than a week." Lucia and Nechtan looked confused and Esca nodded to show that he understood. "I know, it sounds weird and complicated but," Esca slipped his hand into Marcus' and he glanced quickly up to Marcus, "we know it's true love and we know we can find a way to make it work."

Nechtan smiled widely and Lucia chuckled. Marcus gave her an inquisitive but playful fake glare, and she chuckled harder. "Sorry! It's just... you two are too cute and perfect for eachother. I can't help it!"

"Too cute you say?" Esca quipped playfully. "What do you think of that, Marcus?"

"I think _you're_ too cute, _mi flor_," Marcus said, a cheesy grin taking over his face.

Esca couldn't help but laugh and leaned in close, "Give the nice lady a show, shall we?"

Marcus smirked as their lips touched again and immediately the numb, warm tingle spread out from his lips and cheeks through his chest and into his entire body. Esca's tongue traced across his lip and Marcus opened his mouth, letting Esca enter him.

Lucia gasped out of shock and joy, but once more Esca and Marcus forgot about her and were enveloped in eachother. Marcus ran his hands through Esca's soft, thick hair and could feel Esca give a tiny moan of pleasure.

"Oi!" Nechtan called out, clapping his hands, "Come off it!" He was laughing as Marcus and Esca fell from their kiss, still clinging to eachother. Lucia was still laughing, but her face was blushed, the deep pink lit by the orange light of the fire, and Nechtan grinned widely as Marcus and Esca turned to face him.

"Tomorrow's the day when all four of us start brand new lives," Esca said, smiling as well, "I think that's a good purpose for celebration.

Nechtan cocked his head and nodded, "I suppose so." He saw the truth in Esca's words and turned to his wife. "For being husband and wife, we're being beat by these bastards in the romantics department."

Lucia turned to Marcus and Esca, who had already fallen back into their kiss, and she turned to her husband. "C'mere." She leaned close into Nechtan and their faces nearly touched. All was quiet except for little Aelia's breathing, shrouded in blankets and sleeping warmly a few feet away, and the sounds of Marcus and Esca's ministrations. Her deep brown eyes stared into Nechtan's cutting green ones and before they knew it they too were kissing deeply as the fire died between the two couples.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: GOD THAT CHAPTER WAS A BITCH! Whooo. Okay, hope you liked it! I'm sorry if the second day seemed kind of rushed, it's just that there's not a lot of important things that happened then. Fourth chapter soon!**

_**Translations (again this is translator-Gaelic to it could be horribly incorrect): **_**"Cad is ainm duit?" means "What is your name?" "Táim Nechtan MacLorcan. Tá mé ó do fine, agus go bhfuil tú mo Prionsa," means "I am Nechtan MacLorcan. I'm from your tribe, and you are my prince." "Nechtan! Tá sé dom! Esca!" means "Nechtan! It's me! Esca!"** **"A fhios agam!" means "I know!" "Dea-oíche!" means "Good night!"**


	4. Chapter Four: The Town and the Boy

**A/N: Because I became tired of providing translations and worrying about their accuracy, I'm making any major translations (i.e. things that cannot be inferred for meaning / whole sentences) translated right into the text from now on. In effect, I'll tell you when someone is speaking a different language, and it'll be rendered in English but will be italicized. Hope that description made sense. If it doesn't I'm sure you'll make out what I mean later on. I apologize for the sincere un-slashiness of this chapter, compared to the others. I will redeem myself later!**

_**Disclaimer: **_**I disclaim.**

* * *

><p><em>Love, Requited<em>

_Chapter Four: The Town and the Boy_

* * *

><p>Early the next morning, before light, with the sky still a hopeful shade of indigo, Nechtan creeped across the camp's dewy grasses to the tent of Marcus and Esca. Gingerly, he lifted the tent flap and peeked his blonde head inside.<p>

"Wakey wakey, lovebirds!" he said, cheekily smiling at the couple, who were wrapped tight against each other in the same fur bedroll. Esca squirmed at the sound of the Brigantine accent, but Marcus awoke first. His senses still slurred by the rude awakening, Marcus didn't fully process Nechtan's greeting.

"Whoozair?" he asked groggily, trying to sit up, but the tightly-wrapped fur prevented him from doing so. He floundered hopelessly for his gladius, which lay behind him, with his free arm.

Nechtan reached his hand into the twilit tent and grabbed Marcus' forearm before it sought purchase on the gladius. "Stand down, centurion," Nechtan said, in his best semblance of a Roman accent. "It's just me, Nechtan!"

Marcus settled and placed his arm back around Esca, who stirred again, but didn't wake (as far as Marcus knew). Marcus, coming slowly out of his sleepy state, smiled to Nechtan. "Don't scare me like that. Had you given me one more second you probably wouldn't have that arm any longer."

Nechtan chuckled. "You two had better hurry up. I've taken a look at the directions and if we get going soon we should arrive in Lucus Argentus by midday. Be ready in ten!"

"Alright, we'll be out in a second," Marcus replied. Nechtan winked cheekily, as he had done last night, before closing the tent flap and returning to Lucia and Aelia, crunching across the grass.

_He can't think that we would possibly..._ Marcus' thought dropped off as he felt Esca jerk again.

Esca spoke as he awoke fully, turning over in the bedroll. "Good morning, _mo milis_."

Marcus' chest felt warm and heavy and he smiled to Esca. "Today's the day when we start our new life together."

Esca leaned in and gave him a quick, chasté kiss. "Our life together began a long time ago."

* * *

><p>It had taken nearly thirty minutes for Esca and Marcus to leave their tent, rather than Nechtan's prescribed ten, and Nechtan took on a combination of surliness and nervousness, his normal smile slightly falling. Esca and Marcus finally packed up their tent and belongings, loading them into their cart.<p>

"We're nearly half an hour late!" Nechtan said, as he cracked the reins of this large, grey steed and they trotted along the road to the mountains in the distance.

Esca looked confused. "It's not like you to be impatient or worry," he said, calling forward from Tapaidh as he and Marcus trailed Nechtan, Lucia and Aelia.

"Just a bit of anxiety," he called back from ahead. "Dreams coming true, all of that, you know."

"The passive-agressive bit is new as well!" Esca called back, and Marcus chuckled.

The fivesome travelled along the road through the increasingly-hilly countryside as the autumn sun ascended in the sky. It was a very clear day, the crisp breezes of autumn blowing between the hills of wilting grass and flowerless heather. The mountains came closer and closer on the horizon as the hills they crossed became filled with trees, each more than the last. Soon it was a veritable forest, and the reds and oranges of autumn tinted the streaming sunlight at they moved along.

The warm light didn't match the air, though. The soft, chilling breezes became cutting gusts of wind, streaming down from the mountains ahead. Everyone pulled their furs tighter and little Aelia cried out against the cold. Her mother held her closer to her breast and coddled the little one. All eyes were streaming from the cold wind, from Marcus and Lucia's soft, warm browns to Esca and Nechtan's cutting grey and green. The horses shivered underneath them and smiles fell.

_We'll be there soon_, Marcus thought, _Our new home, together_. The warmth in his chest from that recurring thought was enough to keep him from breaking down with cold.

Marcus felt a touch on his numbing, red hand. He looked down, and perched atop his fingers was Esca's hand, as cold and red as his. He looked over to Esca, whom he discovered was already staring at him, and smiled.

Esca returned the smile with his own sly smirk, which lit up his face, contrasting with his reddened ears and watering, blue-grey eyes. Marcus took Esca's hand in his, and they warmed slowly as the wind howled in their ears and they slogged through the forest.

* * *

><p>A strange feeling came over the group as they trundled on through the forest, with its cold winds in spite of the warm light. The same mix of anxiety, frustration, excitement and nervousness that had overcome Nechtan had blanketed all four adults. It had been nearly six hours since they left camp, and most of that time was spent riding through the forest they currently were in. It felt as though the forest was never-ending.<p>

At every turn in the road, Marcus felt his heart clench and his breath catch, and Esca's grip on his hand tightened slightly, but every time the group was greeted by the seemingly endless winding tunnel of bark and leaves, snaking through the hills.

"We're never going to get out of here," he mused. The others chuckled softly, happy that someone had broken the ice.

"According to these directions, we're only a few miles out from the town," Nechtan said. Instantly, everyone smiled, relieved.

Nechtan and Lucia, leading, rounded a corner. Esca spoke up. "Finally, we're almost -"

But Lucia had cut him off, pointing straight ahead down the tunnel of trees. "The town!"

Marcus and Esca rounded the corner as well. Marcus hunched forward over Audaculus to look into the distance. Ahead lay a flat, straight expanse of road. Indeed, in the distance the whitewashed walls and red rooves of Roman towns shone in the full daylight, far beyond the forest, which was thinning.

In the forest that remained, for about two miles, the foliage slowly began to be dominated by one breed. Its dying, flame-red leaves were shaped like arrowheads, and the branches were coated in rough, grey, pearly bark. Silver birches. "No wonder it's called silver groves," Lucia said, smiling. Nechtan coaxed his stallion into a faster trot, and Marcus and Esca mirrored him. They doubletimed down the road to the village, and after a few minutes the sunbeams became stronger and stronger as the autumn canopy dwindled above them.

They passed the forest edge, and the scene of the Cambrian countryside spilled out before them. In the distance, to their left, they could just barely see the slighest lick of deep teal ocean, and to the right rose distant clouded mountains, regaled in reds, yellows and oranges. The sun warmed the group, chilled to the core by icy winds, slowly as they advanced to the town.

The air was silent, but filled with excitement as they approached the gated palisade, about twice the height of a man, with white walls and red rooves poking over it. Two men stood guard on either side of the wooden arch that breached the palisade wall, guarding the town entrance. They were of typical Roman stock; beefy, olive-skinned, dark-haired and in the full regalia of the Roman army. They held long halberds, crossed over the gate.

Nechtan slowed his horse as they neared the gate, and the two guards stared suspiciously at the group, of two Romans and two who looked suspiciously British. Nechtan turned to his wife, behind him, and the thought passed between them without words. It'd be better if Lucia spoke, as the guards would likely trust her more than he or Esca.

Lucia, nodding, handed baby Aelia, fast asleep, to Nechtan and slid off the grey steed. She opened her mouth but one of the guards beat her to words.

"State your names and intents." Marcus glanced forward at the guard's accent, or rather, lack of one. He spoke Latin perfectly, without the slightest twinge of an accent. These two must have come straight out of Rome. He looked into the guard's eyes, and they had none of the welcoming warmth of Lucia's or his. Marcus scowled slightly, his chest feeling stony. He didn't have a good feeling about these two.

"My name is Lucia Rubellia Cinnianus," Lucia said, "And this is my husband, Janus Nautius Aquarius." As she lied, she pointed to Nechtan, who nodded.

The guard laughed. "Husband? Not slave? This man is no Roman." Marcus felt his stony chest grow tighter.

Nechtan spoke now. "My mother was a Brigante and my father was a Roman soldier. He was killed in battle when I was young, so my mother raised me. I speak with an accent because of this."

Now both guards laughed. "Why would we let some half-breed slime like you into this fine Roman city?"

Marcus' knuckles where white against Audaculus' reigns, and he slid from his horse, his face twisted into a scowl. He reached behind his back and drew his gladius, and he could hear the strain of string as Esca cocked his bow. _Not even respect for the fallen soldier... even if it was a lie_, Marcus thought, teeth grinding. "You will let us pass," he said, walking to the still-chuckling guards, his gladius extended a foot from them.

Both guards looked a bit intimidated and clutched their halberds. "If you threaten us, the fury of Rome will be set upon you," one said, snarling.

"Do you know who you're talking to?" Esca asked, his clear, British voice breaking the tense air, his arrow pulling back further into his fingers.

"I _am_ Rome," Marcus added. He considered his words before he spoke. He wasn't fond of the arrogant or manipulative but this situation called for certain measures of arrogance and manipulation. "I am Marcus Flavius Aquila." He needn't explain further.

The last vestiges of humor left the guards' faces, but they didn't back down. "Prove it," one said. Marcus lifted his tunic and showed him the deep gash in his leg, purple from cold and healing.

They gaped for a second, and glanced at each other. Then, the refuting guard bowed deeply and the other parroted him, and they uncrossed the halberds. "It is a great honor to meet you, sir," the refuting guard said. His voice was weak and humbled.

"Stand like Romans," Marcus said, annoyed at the dramatics, although they weren't unexpected. The guards stood tight at attention, as though Marcus was their commander. "You will not bother these four." Marcus signaled to Aelia in Nechtan's arms, whom they hadn't noticed. "You will let them pass unmolested and respect them as you would me. They are as Roman as you or I."

"Yes, sir," they said in stereo. "Welcome to Lucus Argentus." Marcus shook his head and remounted Audaculus, sheathing his gladius. The guards stood back from the palisade arch and the group trotted into town, the dirt road changing to a cobblestone street. Familiar Roman houses greeted them, and before long they arrived at the central square of town, where the forum stood, milling with the people of town, coming to talk of the latest news, inspect the artisan's wares or survey the grocers' stands, stocked with autumn fruits and greens.

"I'm no Roman," Esca said, and he playfully punched Marcus on the shoulder. Marcus smiled widely.

"I didn't hear you protest Roman town life with me."

"Being nonroman and enjoying Roman towns aren't mutually exclusive," Esca mused, taking Marcus' offered hand in his. Lucia and Nechtan, along with Aelia, had already gone ahead to browse the stands. Esca shouted something in Gaelic to Nechtan ahead, who nodded and smiled, waving to show he understood.

Esca turned to Marcus again and said, "I told him we'd meet back up here in an hour or two."

Marcus squeezed Esca's hand tighter. "Let's find our home."

* * *

><p>Lucus Argentus, most likely for its newness, was a very empty town compared to others of the same size in Britannia. It was larger than Calleva, but the lots were more vast and spread out, with plenty of spaces for gardens. As he and Esca rode through the residential district of town, Marcus saw signposts along the road in front of most of the villas, inscribed with the name of to whom the villa belonged.<p>

Unfortunately, Opulentus hadn't prescribed the location of their villa in his directions, so for nearly an hour Marcus could feel his heart beat quicker as he came past and read every signpost, but each one would yield the name of a stranger.

He and Esca were silent but the air of nervousness and excitement was shared between them as they trundled through the street. There was a fair bit of annoyance as well, though.

_We've already been a whole hour from the forum_, Marcus thought, remembering when they would meet up with Nechtan and Lucia. _I wonder where they're staying_, he thought, _They can't have much money_.

"Marcus," Esca said, pointing to a signpost along the bend they were passing, "What does this one say?" Esca still wasn't able to read Latin, and he too was growing worried of time.

The signpost was ten feet ahead, but what it said was unmistakable.

RESERVED FOR THE HONORABLE M. FLAVIUS AQUILA AND COMPANY

Marcus was silent for a moment, but an unmistakable smile filled his face, and his cheeks were growing red. Esca new his tell. "Is this it?"

"It is." Marcus looked to Esca, whose familiar smile filled his face as well. Esca slowed the horses and they turned into the dirt path just beyond the signpost. "This is the place where we'll be spending the rest of our lives together."

Before them, beyond the dirt path, lay an impeccable, sizable white villa, its red tile roof glowing in the sunlight. It was smaller than Uncle's in Calleva, but was more than they would ever need.

"Your uncle does too much for us," Esca said, thinking the same as Marcus.

"Nah, he's cheap. He figures this means no more presents at Saturnalia."

Esca chuckled at the joke. "And you said Romans respected their elders?"

"I was kidding." Marcus paused. "He'll expect _twice_ the amount of gifts from us as well." Marcus humbled a bit when he saw Esca's stern but entertained face. "Jokes aside," Marcus gathered, "I appreciate this more than any gift from anyone."

They had entered the courtyard on the side of villa, and Esca slipped from Tapaidh as Marcus slipped from Audaculus. Marcus couldn't help but notice Esca's sly grin as he unlashed Tapaidh. "You appreciate this gift more than any other gift?"

Marcus remained silent, but cocked his head, confused.

Esca continued. "More than the gift from your gods and mine, of crossing our paths?" Esca led Tapaidh to a stables off the courtyard, and even with his back turned to Marcus, Marcus could almost see the cheeky smirk on his face.

"You know that's a trick question," he finally said as he led Audaculus too to the stables. "Sly bastard," he said, spotting Esca's stormy eyes over the wall dividing the stables.

Esca just laughed, and the two men tied up their steeds. They left the stables and turned to each other. "So this is it," Esca said. Marcus offered his hand, and Esca took it, and they walked together up the small stone path to the front door.

Esca pulled a key from deep in his tunic. "It was enclosed with the directions." The brass key slid into the hole in the mahogany door, and at Esca's turn, a deep but quiet _thunk_ came from inside it.

Marcus nervously pushed the door open, and in front of them spilled the parlor of a fine Roman villa. The floor was decorated with colored tiles in beautiful designs, and the walls were painted with swirling accents in deep reds and blues. But the most shocking thing of all sat on a red couch on the wall beside them.

There sat a young boy, his eyes directed at the floor, swinging his legs aimlessly. He didn't seem to take notice of Marcus and Esca, who stepped over the threshold and approached him.

Marcus and Esca were washed out of their excitement, and confusion replaced it instead. "Hello there," Marcus tentatively said. The little boy stopped his legs and met Marcus' eyes, giving him a hard glare. His eyes were a mysterious hazel, poking out from just below a curtain of fine, auburn hair that almost skirted across his high cheekbones, where a smattering of freckles lay. His skin wasn't olive like a Roman's, but as milky white as Esca's. "Have we entered the wrong house?" Marcus turned to Esca, but Esca said nothing, and his lover's face wore a cryptic expression, as if he understood a truth Marcus had yet to grasp and Esca was refusing to hint at.

Marcus, Esca's expression not helping his confusion, turned back to the boy. "What do they call you?"

"Afon," the boy grunted. He suddenly looked a slightest bit fearful, but then spoke again. "My name Afon... is." His Latin was extremely rough, and his accent was reminiscent of Esca's, but offbeat and different and much thicker.

"Afon, are you lost?" Marcus asked. Afon's stony glare turned inquisitive as well.

A few second's awkward silence passed before Afon spoke. "Lost from my people." Marcus said nothing, and Esca sighed.

Something flew from Esca's mouth in Gaelic. "_Are you from Caledonia?_" Esca asked the boy. Apparently, the Gaelic didn't register with him, and he directed a stony, confused glare to Esca. Now he tried Cambrian. "_Are you of the old tribes of Cambria?_"

Afon's hazel eyes lit up, and his expression lifted slightly. "_I am of the Silures._" Afon paused. "_Your Cambrian isn't too good. From which tribe are you?_"

"_I am a Brigante, from the north. My name is Esca. Cambrian's not my native tongue, of course._"

"Esca, what's going on?" Marcus was still clueless. _This boy is a Briton, but why is he in our house? _he thought, desperately searching for a reason.

Esca switched to Latin. "This boy is a Silure. Do you know of that tribe?"

"Yes," Marcus said, slight guilt coming over him. "The Silures were one of the last tribes to hold out against the Romans during the conquest of Cambria." He paused and was still intensely confused. "But the Silures were defeated sixty some years ago."

"Yes, but there are still pockets of resistance."

"_That bad man called you by your name_," Afon said in Cambrian, to Esca. "_Are you his slave?_"

"_What has he done to you to make you say he's a bad man?_"

"_All slaves resent their masters, even if in secret_." Silence came between the Britons.

"Esca, why is this boy in our house?"

Esca folded his arms and answered Marcus. "He came with the house, Marcus." Suddenly, it clicked in Marcus' mind, and he glanced to Afon, whose stony hazel glare pierced him. A bit of cold embarrassment at his own stupidity trickled into his chest.

"I'm not having a slave in our house," Marcus said to Esca. "He deserves freedom like the freedom I gave you." But Esca cryptically shook his head and returned to Afon.

"_That man may own you by law but in practice he will be your friend, not master, as I will also._"

"_Who is that man?"_ Afon asked, desperate for Esca's answers. "_And why do you trust a Roman?_" His eyes glowed with disgust.

"_He is the bravest, noblest and most honorable man I have ever known, and we have saved each other's lives many times_."

"_You see what they've done to our homeland. Their acts are ignoble and dishonorable, and they are unworthy of any Briton's trust, lest he want a slitted throat._"

Afon was pointing angrily at Marcus while he spoke, and some of their conversation, although in a tongue foreign to Marcus, seemed to register because of this. "Afon," he tried, although the same glare met him. "Afon, I will not hurt you or command you as a master does to his slave."

Afon spoke in his rough Latin again. "Romans only take and harm, never do they give mercy."

Marcus was at a loss for words, but glanced at Esca, whose face was twisted in frustration. He gathered his thoughts carefully before speaking. "This man, Esca, was once my slave. But served me faithfully, and never left my side until I forced him to. We trust each other more than anyone else in the Empire, and even when I freed him he refused to go." _We are in love_, Marcus thought, but he stopped the words before they came out of his mouth. That much was enough for the boy.

"Romans steal sons and daughters. Turn them against families, as you with him did."

"_I stayed willingly, for I love this man_." Esca's Cambrian was raised in volume a bit at the end.

"_Then you shall have your heart broken and your throat slit in the night when the Roman leaves you._"

"_His name is Marcus_." Esca's words were stern.

"_I do not care. Romans cannot show love or mercy. They slaughtered my brothers like cattle and sold the rest of us as slaves._"

"_I feel your plight, and mine is the same. But Marcus does not kill innocent Britons. He is different._"

"_How do you know he will not betray you?_"

"_Because,_" Esca was nearly yelling now, "_He had his chance! A dozen times he could have killed me or left me for dead, but he stayed by my side as I stayed by his. He could have easily defeated me if he wanted to, overpowered me and cut me clean open._" Esca paused. "_I gave him many reasons to hate me and turn his fist against me and murder me. B__ut he is a much higher man than that. He is above that._"

Afon's proud head dropped slightly. "_Do you trust him, Esca of the Brigantes?_"

"_With my life._" Esca's voice was normal and calm again.

"_We were told legends of the bravery and wisdom of the Brigantine warriors. If you trust him_..." Afon paused. "_Then I respect your judgment and trust him as well_."

Silence fell again, and the three men stood awkwardly in the parlor, but Esca's smile was telling. Afon's expression hadn't changed, but resentfully he put his hand out to Marcus. Marcus took it and shook, a bit bitter about being out of the loop, until Afon spoke.

"This is brave and wise man you love," Afon said, stumbling with the words. Marcus blushed slightly and then glanced at Esca, whose slight smile and raised eyebrow seemed to say _What's it to you if he knows?_

"He greatly puts trust in you," Afon continued in rough Latin, "and despite you are Roman, I trust you the same by his judgment, _domine._" Marcus twitched slightly at the last word, strangely ashamed.

Marcus spoke, and kneeled down in front of the couch, meeting Afon at eye level. "I promise you, Afon, I will treat you like the human you are, as an equal. I will not order you around and abuse you as countless other Romans would. But you _shall_ follow this one order." Marcus paused. He hated giving orders. "You are to call me 'Marcus', not 'Master', or '_domine_', or 'sir'. The same goes for Esca." Afon looked to Esca, who nodded.

"Very well, Marcus," Afon said. "You say that of Esca you once owned him as well. He served you well and you gave him freedom."

Marcus paused. "Yes, Afon. I did."

"Will that ever be done to me?" Afon's stony expression became a bit pleading as well, and both Marcus and Esca remained silent.

Marcus' head was swimming, and his palms were beginning to sweat. He turned to Esca, who seemed the same. _What if he runs away if I say no? What is stopping him from running away now?_ He didn't know what to say, and was frantically searching for an answer.

Finally, Marcus' mouth opened, and Afon clenched his eyes shut, as if expecting to be punished with brute force. Marcus paused, and placed a reassuring arm on Afon's shoulder, though it didn't seem to help. "You are safer here with us, Afon, free or not free. If you were to leave..." Marcus' voice softened, tying hard not to offend the boy, "although I respect your bravery, I highly doubt you'd find the Silures again." The note of sadness and shame was heavy in his voice, and Afon seemed to pick up on it. "Even if you did, you'd likely come back to Rome, captured during a raid, as a slave again, and without our protection."

"Protection?" Afon asked, after a pause of resent. "Soldiers, you are?"

Esca spoke before Marcus found words. "This is Marcus Flavius Aquila, the man whose bravery, strength and perseverance, on his travels through Caledonia with me, is revered throughout the entire Empire."

Afon's eyes widened; apparently even he had heard of Marcus' deeds, presumably from overhearing his former masters. He opened his mouth to speak, but another Brythonic accent broke through the air, from beyond the mahogany door.

"Hellooo?" Marcus and Esca recognized Nechtan's teasing voice, as he and Lucia, holding Aelia, who suckled on her mother's breast, stepped over the threshold and into the villa parlor. "You were late, so we figured we'd find you!"

Afon looked confused, as did Nechtan when his cutting green eyes found Afon's misty hazel. "Oh, hello," Nechtan said, cocking his head. "What's your name?"

"Afon." He smiled to Nechtan. "Are you a brother to Esca? You look the same."

"No, no. But we're both Brigantes. My name is Nechtan, and this is Lucia and our child, Aelia." Afon smiled at the baby, jumping off the couch and hurrying over to the child. Aelia gurgled at his reddish-brown hair, reaching her tiny fists to inspect the locks, of a color she'd never seen before. Afon backed away a bit, laughing softly with Lucia, and turned to Nechtan again. "_Can you speak my tongue as well?_" he asked in Cambrian.

Nechtan smiled feebly. "Sorry... I don't understand what you just said." Afon looked crestfallen, but glad to have another Briton around.

"It's okay, Nechtan. Those two have been jabbering away for the past hour in Cambrian."

Nechtan smirked. "Typical Esca."

Silence fell for a moment, but Esca piped up. "Where will you two be staying?"

Lucia and Nechtan glanced to each other, and then Lucia spoke. "We were hoping to find a villa for sale in town... unfortunately the only ones not taken are the very most expensive, even with the generous amounts of coin we... collected from my father."

Esca answered immediately. "You can stay with us as long as you like."

Marcus nodded and turned to Afon. "Afon, how many bedrooms are there?"

"Three," the boy said, matter-of-factly.

"Perfect! One for Esca and I, one for Nechtan and Lucia and Aelia, and one for you."

Afon looked a bit taken aback. "But I am to stay in the servants' quarters. That is what they constructed for."

"I said you were my equal, Afon. I will not stop you if you wish to stay in the servant's quarters, but I insist you stay in a normal bedroom." Afon remained silent, but looked appreciative. "Why don't you show us around, Afon? You seem to know this villa."

"Follow me, then," Afon said, a stubborn smile pulling on his lips as he led Marcus, Esca and their friends through their new home, from the bedrooms to the courtyard, to the gardens to the small, private bath complex. Esca clutched Marcus' hand tightly the entire way, a deep, heating warmth growing in their chest. Nechtan and Lucia did the same. All of them were happy to find a home, together with friends and lovers.

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><p><strong>AN: Took me a long time to write this, and I have no idea why. I hope you liked it! :D I know, there were only like two slashy scenes. I'll try and make the next one more slashy! :3**


	5. Chapter Five: Your First Time

**A/N: Major apologies are required for the lag between these chapters. *giganto-sadface* I've had absolutely no time with school and work. But here you go!**

**Warnings: Man lovins, slight d/s and power play**

**Disclaimer: I don't own this franchise but I sincerely wish I did.**

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><p><em>Love, Requited<em>

_Chapter Five: You Don't Ever Forget Your First Time_

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><p>The sun had long since been banished from the sky, and the thick darkness of a late autumn night floated heavy in the air of Lucus Argentus. The little redhead Briton boy, Afon, was lulling off to sleep behind the thick door of his bedroom, his mind and tongue exhausted from giving his new friends the tour of their new home, and absorbing the amazing stories they, in turn, told.<p>

Three of said friends, Lucia, Nechtan and Aelia (even littler than Afon), were slowly dozing off across the hallway in their own bedroom, the husband and wife wrapped tightly in each other with their child snoozing warmly in the small cot beside their bed of pine-boughs.

But two other friends were not sleeping. The excitement of the day, like a strong liquor, hadn't yet washed out of Marcus and Esca, who were kissing passionately and openmouthed as Marcus fumbled with the key to the master bedroom, on the other side of the house.

Neither was sure what had come over them so suddenly, but neither was currently in the capacity to think, as waves of pure ecstasy washed over them at the feel of each other's velvet mouths and touch of heated hands, their numbing fingers hurriedly searching over silky skin, mapping stroke by stroke.

They slipped, blind, into the bedroom and Esca kicked the door shut with his foot. He dazedly clung to Marcus, his mind blurring together the memories of their previous embraces as he tongued over Marcus' perfectly crooked teeth, remembering their feel and taste, a subtlety of sweet and sour. Something like a silent sentence passed between them, and with his lover's sweet breath filling his weighted chest Esca felt Marcus melt in his searching hands. Marcus backed his tongue away as they still desperately kissed, letting Esca search through him frantically as they stumbled in the moonless darkness.

Esca felt his limbs renew with a new energy, like drunken summer sun; his back straightened and his arms clenched tightly onto Marcus, while Marcus' knees failed him and he strained his mouth open wider. Esca pushed the liquid Roman down onto the bed they had finally found, and Marcus collapsed, knees over the edge, seeping into the sheets.

And Esca, with his loving, but ridiculous smile filling his face, stood over him. Marcus' wet, brown eyes locked unseeingly onto Esca's dreamy, misty blue through the darkness. And while both men thought it, Esca spoke. "We need light if we're to do this right," he whispered, voice gravelly from Marcus' wet breath filling him. Marcus nodded, and Esca must have seen him then, for he quickly dipped from the room and tore a lit torch from its sconce in the hallway. His hand snapped it into the sconce inside, by the door, and then as soon as he had left Marcus, Esca was back, standing at Marcus' feet, watching as the firelight danced over him.

And every part of him felt that same, familiar, warm fuzziness, expanding from his chest and radiating out through his limbs from the drunken sun in his heart. Marcus' olive cheeks were blushed a beautiful magenta, and his watery eyes that snuck out from his kiss-tousled hair were pleading with the man above him.

Esca's loving smile turned sly as he gazed into Marcus' eyes. "A whole Roman all to myself..." he whispered, teasing, as he moved his hands to Marcus' knees and began to massage in long, slow circles.

A slow moan escaped Marcus' lips. "Please, Esca..."

And with that he felt something like a lion replace the sun in his chest, rearing its head and roaring out. Esca leaned down and fisted the bedsheets, pulling himself forward onto the broad chest of his lover and staring into his eyes, now ever closer than before. "I wonder what your old commanders would think of a Roman submitting himself to a Briton."

Marcus moaned again as he felt Esca's hands in his hair, and as Esca furiously kissed along the base of his neck. "You're mine now, Centurion."

"Fuck..."

Esca rolled his body deep into Marcus' as he now toothed along the Roman's collarbone, and felt Marcus' hard arousal against his own, through the ever-too-thick cloth. His hands drifted down from the black locks and slowly smoothed over Marcus' rough tunic, feeling the tensing muscles beneath, and settled on his hips where the tight sash of his belt lay. Blindly Esca loosened the leather away as he dragged his lips over Marcus' beet-red ears. Fisting the linen, Esca tugged up the tunic by its middle, and Marcus raised his arms up and over his head, letting Esca free him of the fabric distraction.

"One down," Esca whispered as he kissed at Marcus' ears, the centurion so willingly spread beneath his commanding touch.

"You're wearing too many clothes," Marcus said between strangled sighs, his mind blurred and endrunkened by Esca's finesse.

Esca shushed him as he lapped down Marcus' cheek and met his brown eyes. "We'll have - time for that - later," he said between slow kisses that gradually met Marcus' lips. "Now is the time - for your pleasure."

Esca felt Marcus open his lips to argue, so he rolled deeply into the Roman, and with teasing precision he neaped the mutual hardness of their braccae together, sending warm lightning to tingle through his lover. Marcus moaned softly against Esca's tongue, and exhaled sharply when he felt Esca's master hands seize hold of the knot on his braccae.

He opened his eyes and saw Esca staring down to him, his stormy eyes filled with the only question gone that had gone unspoken. Unspoken because it needn't be asked. _May I?_

And all Marcus could muster was a whispering _yes_ before he felt Esca free him of the braccae and subligaculum in one cursory tug. Esca's kisses down his chest lingered like bonfires, their heat relaxing him further and further until he was afraid he'd melt like wax.

Lower and lower the Briton went, lapping around Marcus' navel and feeling the slightest hairs tickle at his chin. He was pushed deep into Marcus, the coarse cloth of his tunic softly scraping against Marcus' arousal, making him tightly whine at the spikes of rough pleasure as Esca continued his travels. "So impatient," Esca whispered as he nuzzled his nose into Marcus' black hairs between the ridges of his defined stomach.

Esca didn't want to admit he had no idea how to proceed, so he continued kissing slowly down as the trail became thicker and thicker, and Marcus' breath became more ragged. Then he felt the tiniest spot of wetness, warm and hard, against his chest and all his instincts hit him at once. _Lift your chest_. So he did.

And as he looked down, his prize appeared before him. Marcus' hard cock jutted proudly out to him, jerking shortly against the cold air, robbed from its warm entrapment. Its base was hidden in a forest of bushy, curling black hairs, and its tip was pink and glistening in the torchlight. Esca felt himself grow harder and his face burned with realization. _This is because of me._ He couldn't help the smile that took him over.

Esca grasped the hard length in his hands, and Marcus quietly gasped above him. It was hot, hotter even than that sun inside him, hotter than the lightning he sent through Marcus, so hot Esca was surprised he hadn't been burned.

"Yes Esca, _yes_," Marcus whispered as the Briton began leisurely strokes, as Esca felt the delicate skin slide over the hard muscle he was sure must have been made of solid fire. Esca slid down, setting his lips against the inside of Marcus' good thigh, pressing those same loving, too-slow kisses against his strong ripples. His movement was quicker than before, arching over the thigh, and soon Esca found himself kissing at the base of the cock he so admired.

Cold ice suddenly put out the sun inside him. The vivid memory of his first master pushing his perverted arousal deep down his throat flashed in his eyes. He felt the ignored gags in his throat replayed inside his neck, along with the sickening taste of his master finishing inside him, Esca forced to swallow.

Marcus whined again, as Esca had stopped his ministrations entirely. "Please, Esca, go on," he murmured into the night. "We've come this far." Esca was silent, and Marcus was desperate. Something clicked inside Marcus' intoxicated mind, and shame spread through him as he realized Esca's dilemma. "This is your choice, Esca; I would never force myself upon you in any way and you are my lover, not my slave. I love you." Esca felt the ice melt under the newfound intensity of his sun. "But please, in whatever way you choose, go on."

Renewed warmth spread through Esca again, and he smiled at his own foolishness. "Of course," he whispered. This would be nothing like that time. He was sure of it. Quickly, he kissed up the side of the hardness and arrived at its crown, where a tiny bead of liquid glistened before him. He lapped it away, and smiled as he saw Marcus staring down to him, his expression lost in arousal. "Not bad at all," Esca mumbled, his sly grin returning. "I think I'd like another taste."

Marcus groaned louder than ever before as he felt Esca's warmth surround the head of his cock, and slowly he hissed as Esca edged lower and lower. Marcus tasted of lavender and grass, and of salt and clean skin. Esca found himself wanting more and more, and he strained to take Marcus further until his nose was again nuzzled in Marcus' black hair. The cock was thick and long against his tongue as Esca slid up again, tantalizingly slowly.

Marcus did his best not to buck up into Esca's teasing mouth, but as his slides became faster and faster Marcus molded his hands around Esca's bobbing head, his hands drifting through the blonde hair as he felt himself coming closer and closer to the edge. It was all too new; Roman citizens didn't make love like this, and Marcus had an inkling that Britons didn't either.

Three fingers were suddenly pressed to Marcus' lips, and he snapped his mouth open and licked at them, biting gingerly as the shockwaves shot through him, growing higher and higher.

And as Esca felt a loud groan be muffled by his fingers, he slid from Marcus' cock and teasingly licked around the shaft. He dragged his slick fingers from Marcus' mouth, and fingered one down from the base of Marcus' scrotum and found the tiny, pink pucker. Gingerly he circled around it, relaxing the tense muscle, before suddenly plunging it into the heat. Carefully Esca ebbed in and out, loosening the opening and reveling in Marcus' deep groans.

With caution, Esca slid his second finger beside his first and pushed deep, while slowly mouthing his way up Marcus' stiff cock, licking at each vein. Marcus was hissing with each deeper thrust, feeling Esca brush his sweet spot and basking in the short sunshine that exploded from it. "Esca," he could barely speak, "I'm ready."

"So confident for never having done this before," Esca whispered as he added the third finger, making Marcus softly holler with painful joy as the thrusts became wider and deeper. Of course, Esca couldn't wait much longer either, as he felt his wetness start to leak through his tunic, leaving spots.

And then Esca slid his mouth atop Marcus' cock again, sheathing the entirety of his length inside his mouth and nestling his nose into the patchouli-scented forest as he moved his fingers knuckle-deep. Marcus nearly shouted out in ecstasy, the lightning stronger that ever before and tensing his muscles tight. "Esca-aaaa... I'm going to-"

Esca slithered his fingers out from within his lover, and quickly banished the cock from his mouth. "Not yet, you aren't." He stood over Marcus, and slowly massaged the Roman's kneecaps again. Marcus was panting like a tired dog in the heat of summer, his skin glistening and his eyes burning, and his flat expression quickly turned playful as he searched over Esca.

"I see we need to get you out of those clothes," he said, spying the wet spots that dotted his tented braccae.

Esca chuckled as he loosened his belt and tugged off his tunic, and shivered as the cold night air caressed his gleaming skin. "I've done enough work," he sighed, and fell lightly beside Marcus on the bed, turning to meet his lover's lips.

And as soon as he struck the linen Marcus' hands were on him. He was no longer a molten Roman; he had regained his strength as one thought filled his mind: _Esca_. Immediately he had untied the knot on Esca's braccae, and Esca sighed sharply when they were tugged away and Marcus rolled his hand over the tent in Esca's subligaculum.

Esca's hand had found its way back to Marcus' cock by the time that his own was free and swiftly swelling in Marcus' thick palm. They were encapsulated in their kiss, their jerking becoming faster and faster until Marcus fell away, to Esca's whine and displeasure. "Esca," he said, "I love you."

"I know." Esca dipped down again to resume the kiss, but Marcus spoke, his lovedrunken voice beautifully focused and clear.

"Fuck me," he whispered. "I want you to take my flower, Esca."

"You sound like a woman." Hushed whispers came between ragged kisses.

"I don't care what I sound like; we've waited long enough."

Marcus pressed a vial of oil into his hand, summoned from some place - Esca didn't care where; the only thing that mattered was that it was in his hand now, and it was Marcus who gave it to him. His thoughts were becoming more and more juvenile, his mind unable to piece together his normal deep expressions, sopping wet with the liquor feeling of Marcus' hands on him. Esca's breathing grew heavier and he managed to grunt through his vibes, "Marcus, wait... I'm about to go..."

And right then, at his command, Marcus let go, leaving Esca's glistening cock struck stark against the night air. Esca was sliding off the sheets, the vial clutched in his hand, and he stood again at the bed's edge, between Marcus' knees. If Marcus was going to deny Esca his pleasure, then he'd certainly pay. Marcus quickly shuffled down to where his lover stood, and he raised his legs and wrapped them around Esca's middle. "Fuck me Esca, do it now," he moaned. He knew how desperate he sounded, but didn't care, because he felt Esca's fingers inside him again and he did all he could just to thrust himself farther down upon them.

And Esca opened the vial with his teeth, and dribbled its contents down over his cock, never ceasing his hands' ministrations. Marcus watched as he tantalizingly coated his length with the grease, and used all his strength to keep from snagging hold of the damned beautiful thing and just fucking himself on it.

"Esca, I'm ready," he said, in the same inebriated but clear voice.

"You don't ever forget your first time," Esca whispered as he removed his fingers and left Marcus hungrily empty. "Besides, Roman, how have _you_ never bedded anybody?"

Marcus was not in the mood for lengthy anecdotes. "I was waiting for the right one."

"Ah, but how did you know I'd find you?" Marcus felt even more desperate at Esca's words, but he fell silent as he felt something large and warm enough to make him deeply moan press against his entrance.

"Every man has his soulmate." Marcus gasped as Esca slowly swirled the head of his cock against him.

"Tell me, Roman," Esca said, pushing ever so slightly into the warmth, "How does it feel to be dominated by one of your hated Britons?"

"A thousand sorts of wonderful." Marcus could barely speak again. "I love you so much," he whispered.

"Marcus," Esca suddenly sounded stern. "Are you sure? Because from here I won't be holding back."

"Always and completely." Marcus wasn't even making sense anymore, but it didn't matter because Esca was pushing deep inside him and Esca's thick cock was stretching him and loving him in so many ways that felt too damn good to be true.

But it was slow, much too slow, as Esca finally buried himself to the hilt inside the Roman. Marcus was moaning deeply and his eyes pleaded across to the stormy greyness. Esca slowly edged back, but then Marcus bucked down into him and a newfound courage lit in Esca's heart, and the sun grew brighter and brighter inside him.

Fuck, was it painful, but it was so damned good every time Esca's length stroked over his sweet spot, igniting the lightning and making him want to yell with pleasure. Esca was thrusting into him with a vigor so acute the lightning was nearly continuous, and Marcus could barely control himself. He let his yells out into the air and Esca fucked him even harder into the sheets, the tight warmth too much.

"Esca..." Marcus' yells of his name never stopped as he groaned through the layers of lightning. "Escaaa..."

"I love you so much," Esca managed, thrusting deep and hard. "I love you so very damn much, Marcus."

And that was enough for Marcus to spill over the edge, ribbons and ribbons of seed pouring over his stomach and sliding into the virgin linens as he came and came and came. But Esca didn't stop, pushing ever faster and harder and deeper, and he leaned down to lick Marcus' stomach clean as he pushed and pushed into the tightness.

Marcus growing weaker and felt that melting feeling again, his entire body rife with pleasure but now painful with overstimulation as Esca continued to fuck him, now harder than ever before. And just when he was sure that he was going to melt into the sheets, Esca thrust his deepest ever and came inside him, the heat enough to make his melted body boil.

"Marcus..." Esca said as he collapsed onto Marcus' sticky, steaming torso, the last vestiges of his seed still feebly pumping as his now-softened cock slid unceremoniously out from his lover. "Marcus..."

"Now is not the time for words," Marcus whispered. He felt sleep lulling him away, but did his best to fend it off. "Thank you so much."

Esca's voice was swimming with drowsiness as well. "You are always welcome," he murmured, "That was just about the best thing ever." His mind had yet to sober and his thoughts still better belonged to children.

"I love you," Marcus whispered, as his heavy eyelids fell shut. Esca clung to him, sweaty and dirty but careless, and already asleep.

It was needless to be said.


End file.
